Life Goes On
by purpleeyednekoyoukai
Summary: Yukimi "Kim" Nakamura grew up down the street from Jack. Both of their moms always suspected their feelings were more than friendly...add in a meddling Sofi, yentas, a crazy cat and sparks will fly. AU starts before ambush.


Warnings: AU, a lot less character death, timeline has been royally fucked with (sorta), language (that's a given, though…Bobby's in this story :D), first fic for this fandom, aaaand OCs. Lots and lots of OCs. …mostly my main OC and her nutty family/pets. Don't worry—if they're not named, they're not gonna show up much.

Also. I have tried—keyword, people, TRIED—not to make my OC a Mary-Sue. Oh, and just sos yanno…she was NOT adopted by Evelyn. At any point in time. At all. Ever.

-x-x-x-x-

Jack sat there on the couch, slouched back against the cushions, as his brothers invaded Kim's kitchen. He bit his lip, then glanced at the girl next to him. She returned his regard, still pale but much better than she appeared on their porch earlier. He paused, his eyes flicking to his brothers.

"Does it get easier?"

Kim, who had resumed watching her pets play, locked eyes with him again, startled. After a moment, the unasked words filtered through.

"I'm not gonna lie." She murmured, a soft sigh escaping her. "There are days where everything's okay, in spite of it...but there'll be those moments, when you see something she woulda liked, or hear something that woulda made her laugh..." Kim paused, eyes over bright. "An' you'll think, 'I gotta tell Ma when I get home' or 'that'll be her Christmas present'...then you realize..." Her grin was small and bitter. "Those are the worst moments."

He closed his eyes, willing the burning sensation building up behind them to go away.

"There's also the times when you sit there and just wonder _why_..."

Jack turned away from her, from the understanding couldn't take right now, to the pets locked in 'combat' on the rug. If a tear or two escaped, neither of them commented.

"But there's some times...some times when I swear my mom's laughing at me, wherever she is."

He looked up in time to catch an even smaller, but bittersweet grin.

"I'll sit there and I'll figure something out-anything...and then I'll realize it's what she'd been telling me all along." A soft snort accompanied this statement. "Things woulda been so much easier if I'd realized back then..."

He looked at her-really looked at her. Her eyes were still over bright, signaling the possibility of tears, but the twist of her lips was nothing short of a grin.

"I don't..."

"Ya don't what, fairy?" Bobby interrupted as he returned with a steaming plate of food and a bottle of beer.

Kim rolled her eyes at him; some things never changed. "You will." She murmured to Jack as they headed to the kitchen to get some food of their own.

"He'll what?" Angel questioned, mystified, as he passed the two on his way back to the living room.

"Who the fuck cares?" Bobby grumbled as he turned on a hockey game.

Jerry, who entered not long after Angel, smirked over the rim of his beer as he watched the two in the kitchen. He was still smirking when the two returned with their own food and drinks.

"...what?" Kim asked as she took her previous seat.

"Nothin'."

All four stared at Jerry, who just shook his head, smirk still in place.

"...Ma was just right, is all."

Jack, about to open his own beer, lost his grip on it; it landed with a muffled thump on the carpet before rolling towards the puppy and kitten play-fighting in front of the t.v. Both skittered away from it, then approached to bat at or chew on it when it stopped.

The humans in the house stared at Jack, who, in turn, stared at Kim.

"What?" She asked after several moments of silence.

"You-" Jack began.

"Weren't kidding?" An arched brow and the smallest of smiles accompanied her comment.

"The fuck?" Bobby growled as Jack retrieved his beer from the pests-er, pets.

"Convo from when you guys were in the kitchen." Kim supplied as she rescued Jack's food from the curious duo, who had scrambled over the moment he retrieved his beer. The two now sat at Jack's feet, staring up at him and his food as though demanding this uninvited guest give them their cut.

"What was Ma right about?" Angel questioned once his mouth was empty.

Jerry grinned. "Well, lemme ask something first. You guys talked every day while he was in New York, right?"

"No..." Kim replied, wondering where the hell this was going. "We texted occasionally, just to keep up with what was goin' on. An' I went to one of his shows, once."

Jerry's grin widened. "You realize that's more contact than all three of us've had with him for the past four years, right?"

Kim turned her attention to the man sitting beside her; he was resolutely focused on his beer.

"'We talk', hm?" She questioned acidly.

"Who said it was any of your business?" Bobby interrupted.

"It's not." The girl snapped back. "But I don't like being lied to."

Jack swallowed his mouthful. "I didn't want to be-"

"Questioned? Lectured? Bitched at?"

"...yeah."

"So you thought that the person who gets _all three _of those from her family-almost daily-an' hates it was gonna turn an' do it to you."

The other three stared at the silent Jack, waiting for his rebuttal.

"Or did you think I was gonna judge you?"

He stiffened.

She shook her head and went back to eating.

"You tellin' us you're some kinda saint or something?" Bobby cut in when it became obvious that Jack would say nothing.

"No. But I did spend the better part of my first year out of high school avoidin' my family-most of 'em live in Detroit-because they all thought that an 18 year old shouldn't live alone." She paused and took a sip of water. "So, I'd have no place to judge from. I've run from my family. I also know what it's like to feel like you're too busy to just pick up a phone an' call 'em...an' I live blocks, not miles, away."

Bobby scowled at her but went for seconds. Angel, after a nudge from Jerry, followed him into the kitchen.

"...I didn't want you to worry."

She looked at him; his posture was stiff, his eyes locked with the ground, his food and beer ignored.

"Jack...you're in New York. I know Detroit's no cakewalk-hell, I should know that from our childhood, let alone the three years I've spent as a rookie cop-but New York is just as dangerous. I worried anyway...not 'cuz I think you're stupid or can't handle yourself...just 'cuz it's dangerous."

Blue eyes surveyed her; she gave him a small smile. Some of the tension drained from his form as he resumed eating and took a sip of his beer.

"You kids kiss and make up?" Angel questioned as he came back from the kitchen.

"Shut up." Jack grumbled through a mouthful of food.

"Guess he's not as much of a fairy." Bobby added as he reclaimed his seat; Jerry just grinned.

Kim stared. "Why do I have the feeling I should be wary of that grin?"

"He's harmless." Jack muttered.

"Now I remember..." She groaned. "Don't you start, Jerry."

His grin only widened.

"I am so royally screwed." Kim groused as she rose to take her plate to the kitchen. "Not. One. Word." She snarled at Jerry, who cracked up.

"What the hell?" Bobby growled.

Jerry ducked the dishtowel that was launched in his general direction. "Not yet, but you will be!"

"Fuck you!"

"Sorry, I'm married-" Jerry ducked another dishtowel. "-and I think Jack'd take exception to that, yanno."

Angel and Bobby smirked at Jack, who coughed and spat out his mouthful of beer before he choked on it.

Kim collected the towels, threw them towards the laundry room, then returned to her seat. When she sat down, Jack slipped his arms around her and glared at Jerry.

Jerry cracked up; Bobby and Angel gaped; Kim blinked, then recalled that that was one of the ways he used to react when he had things he thought people would try to steal from him. He would hold them close and glare at whoever approached.

She grinned slightly. "Guess I'm too big to fit under your coat, huh?"

He shrugged slightly, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Told ya." Jerry stated.

"What?" Bobby growled.

"Ma was right. She always said those two had a thing for each other."

Angel grinned. "I remember we always thought she was nuts...'cuz whenever any of us showed up to pick Jack up after school, the two of you always ignored each other..."

"That's 'cuz we didn't want you guys to figure out where he ran off to when he wanted some peace an' quiet." Kim replied, leaning against Jack.

"Crafty little..." Angel grumbled as Bobby glared.

"So you're the one he was always with when he wasn't with us?"

"Not always. Jack had other friends, yanno!"

Jack's eyes widened slightly, then he grinned at her instant defense of him. Bobby glowered, Angel shook his head and Jerry smirked.

"Also. I've been meaning to ask...what happened to the tongue ring?"

It was Bobby's turn to smirk.

"I took it out." Jack muttered flatly.

She patted his shoulder. "Don't worry; Bobby's just jealous he didn't get one."

Angel and Jerry snickered; Bobby flipped her the bird; Jack shook his head at her, grinning slightly.

-x-x-x-x-

Jack awoke to darkness; his breath caught in his throat and he began to shake.

"...Jack?"

"Kim?"

Movement to his left caused him to skitter right and collide with something. He froze, breathing fast and shallow; the shakes turned to tremors.

"Jack, calm down. It's just me."

A soft clicking sound signaled a flashlight being turned on; the beam moved toward him, and as his eyes adjusted, he could see that Kim was the one holding it.

"Where are we?"

"The panic room. ...where's the-I'm gonna kill Bobby." She muttered as she glared at the spot where the nightlight should have been.

"Not funny." Jack agreed as he slowly began to calm down.

"You alright?"

He waited until she was closer, then pulled her onto his lap; the flashlight hit the floor, but continued to cast a beam of light. Her response was to loop her arms loosely around his torso; she didn't protest when he rested his head atop hers.

"Better." He murmured after a few minutes; his breathing was slower and deeper; most of the tremors had stopped. A small sigh of relief escaped her as she hugged him closer.

He half expected to freeze up again, but he didn't. Whenever he had been anywhere near intimate with his numerous groupies, he couldn't stand to have them hold him or even be on top of him. Here he was, in a dark, enclosed space-normally guaranteed to send him into a panic attack-and she was hugging him, which normally made him tense up and push the person away. The only exceptions to the no-hug rule were his brothers-who weren't all that huggy-and his Ma.

_"She'll be proud to hear that..."_ His thoughts stopped as it came back to him. _"She __**would've **__been proud..."_

"Er...if this is uncomfortable for you..." Kim began, loosening her hold on him and beginning to lean back.

Jack pulled her closer. "S'fine." He mumbled into her hair. She tightened her hold briefly, but asked no questions.

"Thanks."

"Anytime." She replied softly. When his breathing evened out, she breathed a sigh of relief. Morning, however early or late it dawned, would not be pleasant.

-x-x-x-x-

"Kim."

"Mmmph." She grumbled, burying her face into her pillow. When her pillow tensed, she realized that it was most certainly _not _a pillow; opening her eyes resulted in a close-up view of the tattoo on Jack's shoulder. The girl froze for a moment before flinging herself backwards to land with a thump on the floor. "So glad I got the coffee table out of here..." She rolled onto her side, then pushed herself into a sitting position.

Her companion was silent.

Steeling herself, she looked up; his face was completely blank. To be fair, to most it always looked blank. To those that knew him, however, there were certain tells about what emotion he was really feeling. His eyes were somewhat of a help in that department, but the real tells were the corners of his mouth and his cheek muscles. When happy, he could hide his smile-but not the hints of it that lurked in the corners of his mouth. When startled, the muscle in his cheek would jump slightly, as though to echo his shock.

When angry, well...that muscle would tick steadily, and his nostrils would flare. That 'expression' was the one Kim currently faced.

"Where are they?"

"I...don't know." She mumbled as she questioned both her sanity and why she allowed Bobby to talk her into this.

"What happened to hating lying?"

"I do." She retorted coolly. "And I'm not. You think they'd tell me after Bobby spent a good four hours convincing me to do this?"

"What, keep me 'safe'?" He snapped bitterly.

"Yeah. In case you forgot, you almost got killed yesterday because some guy threw a snowball at you and you, genius that you are, decided to go and _chase _him!"

"Bitch." He bit out.

"Say what you want; you're not getting out of here until Bobby himself comes to collect you." Kim returned calmly, ignoring the indignant and hurt feelings vying for her attention.

"Ooooh, you dropped the accent. Am I supposed to be scared now?" He mocked.

_"When this is over, Bobby is going to get punched."_

As the insults and angry comments piled up, she mentally tacked on an 'again' for each.

-x-x-x-x-

"Hey, lovebirds!"

Both glared at the bookcase, then at the other before Kim rose and opened it, making sure that Jack couldn't see where the exact spot was.

"Wh-oy. You weren't kidding..." Bobby muttered as the bookshelf rose to reveal him standing on the other side. Kim punched him, then stormed out. Bobby tested his jaw, then shrugged. "Deserved that."

"Damn straight!" She snarled from the living room. "Now take your brother and get out."

"You're getting to be as bad as La Vida Loca." Bobby called as he ignored Jack's glare.

"Fuck you, Bobby!" Kim slammed the door shut behind them.

"Only in your dreams, sweetheart." He called back, then smirked when she flipped him the bird before closing the curtains. "So I'm guessing you two got on like a house on fire, huh?"

"Shut up." Jack snapped before storming back towards the house. When he failed to glance back or even acknowledge that he had just left his friend without so much as a "later", Bobby realized that this had upset him a tad bit more than he had anticipated.

-x-x-x-x-

"Bobby..." Angel groaned. "What didja do?"

"What?" He growled as he walked in through the front door.

"Jackie stormed in and actually _slammed _his door."

"...alright, so mebbe this wasn't the best idea..." He grumbled as he headed to the kitchen to grab a beer.

"You think?" Sofi snapped as she pulled dinner out of the oven. "Que se aprovechó del hecho de que ella lo ama!" She snarled in Spanish.

"...do I wanna know?" Jerry asked as he entered with some groceries and restocked the fridge.

"Look, she didn't have to agree." Bobby retorted, not quite sure what Sofi had said, but recognizing that it was most likely an insult.

"When you put it as 'this should keep him safe, unlike when he almost got shot earlier today' what were you expecting?" The woman snarled back.

"Look, it kept him safe and-"

"Mmmm, dinner!" Angel interrupted. Both glared but he directed them to the table; Jerry declined the offer of dinner, citing that Camille was waiting for him to get back to eat. After he left, the three ate; it was a quiet, tense affair.

Sofi made a plate for Jack and snuck up to his room. She placed it upon his desk and frowned softly at the sleeping boy. She quickly crept back out of the room and hoped that he would resolve his problems with Kim soon. The girl had been in love with him for the longest time and she was fairly certain he returned her feelings.

-x-x-x-x-

Kim sat and stared at the bookcase that hid the 'panic room'. _"Alright...I have two choices...sit here and mope and bitch and say 'woe is me'...or I can go __**do**__ something..." _A small sigh escaped her and she checked the calendar: still eight more days to go. Muttering curses upon stitches, doctors and medical leave in general, she threw on a change of clothes, her jacket and snagged her keys. She paused a moment scoop up her pets, then to lock her door before she climbed into her car and drove off, resisting the temptation to drive past their house.

-x-x-x-x-

"...hey..."

Brooklyn Kingston stared at the person on his front porch; his niece by right of birth and blood rarely visited him, as he lived near the outskirts of the city and she had numerous family members that lived closer.

"Hello, L-Kim. Come in, come in." He stepped aside to allow her in; he could tell from her stance that she felt out of place in her scuffed jeans and worn coat. "Guys, Kim's here!"

Almost instantly, the pitter-patter of tiny feet were heard overhead. "KI! KI!"

The four-year-old hurtled down the steps and flung herself at her favorite aunt. Kim knelt so their eyes were level and received a proper hug as her aunt joined them.

Kim ruffled her hair. "How's my lil' niece?"

"I'm not that little." The four year old pouted, then giggled when Kim began to tickle her. The other two adults exchanged glances as the four-year-old dragged her aunt into the living room. Said excitable child began to show Kim her video game and how to work it. The other two took seats and watched, frowning, though they were soon distracted by her pets' antics.

-x-x-x-x-

Nine o'clock rolled around; the exhausted child had been put to bed with little difficulty, though she insisted both puppy and kitten join her.

"You're welcome to stay over, if you want." Brooklyn said as Kim stretched, then yawned.

"I insist." His wife, Claire, added. "It's snowing again and you look half asleep as it is."

"Thanks." Kim murmured. "Not just for letting me stay over...but just letting me come over and...well, hang out. I love the rest of our family dearly, but if I'd shown up to, say, one of my brothers'..."

"They would have interrogated you and probably wanted to beat someone up." Claire supplied with a soft chuckle.

"Pretty much...not that I don't appreciate-"

Claire silenced her with a look. "You appreciate their protectiveness, but sometimes it's nice to just be comforted by being around people without having to explain or think. Trust me, been there, done that."

That earned her a weak grin.

"And you had best stay for breakfast." Claire added as the three rose to head for their separate beds.

"Yes'm." Kim mumbled; Brooklyn laughed.

When she scowled at him, Claire smirked. "Don't worry...I'll take care of him."

Her niece's reaction was to stare; the woman laughed. "Night!"

_"...my family is nuts..."_ Kim thought, shaking her head as she unlaced her boots and flopped onto her bed. A snicker escaped when she heard her uncle yelp in the distance. _"Guess I wouldn't want it any other way, though."_

-x-x-x-x-

Jack snapped awake, sitting up abruptly as the nightmare faded. He ran a hand down his face as he forced his breathing to slow; his gaze wandered around his room and landed on the plate of food on his desk. He knew it wasn't from Bobby; he would've woken him to up to make him eat it in front of him. Jerry was more of the "be there for dinner or starve" type; Angel only brought people food when they were sick.

Realization struck. _"Sofi?" _Shrugging it off, he grabbed the plate and began to eat. Once he was full, he took it downstairs, covered it and placed it in the fridge. He stood in the kitchen, unsure of what to do. He wasn't tired, his brothers would kill him if he started practicing his guitar at-he checked the clock-two in the morning.

"Couldn't sleep?"

He jumped and spun around to find Sofi entering the kitchen in a bathrobe; he gave her a small nod as she pulled out the milk and poured herself a mug.

"Thanks." Jack mumbled as she placed it in the microwave for a minute. At her questioning look, he elaborated, "for the food."

"No hay problema." She returned; both watched the mug spin around in the microwave. Sofi frowned slightly; she really wanted to talk to him about Kim, but had a feeling that it wouldn't be taken well.

Both sat there in silence as Sofi sipped her warm milk. She finished it, washed the cup and returned it to the cupboard.

"Night, Jack." She gave him a small grin before heading back upstairs. Jack sighed and took a seat on the sofa. It was gonna be a long night.

-x-x-x-x-

The next few days passed rather quietly; Jerry reclaimed and restarted his business; Jack, Bobby and Angel had been given jobs in it for now and were working alongside him; Sofi had found a job of her own.

Kim had been out and about, but had yet to return to her house; her uncle and aunt were half-hoping she wouldn't, as the area they lived in was safer, and their granddaughter adored having her aunt-as well as her pets-around all the time.

-x-x-x-x-

"Hey Jack."

Jack, who had been eerily silent the past few days-even for him-paused, his gaze flicking to his brother.

"You know why we did that, dontcha?"

Blue eyes narrowed. "Because you don't think I can handle myself?"

Angel winced. "Man, that's not..."

"You almost _died_, Jackie. Forgive your older brothers for wanting to protect your fucking ass." Bobby snapped as he stood up.

Jack turned and stomped up the stairs to his room.

Sofi waited until Bobby was thoroughly engrossed in his beer and bitching to Angel before she headed upstairs. "Jack?"

He looked up from his guitar; his hands paused on the strings and the faint notes stopped.

"If that had happened to any of your brothers...or Kim..." She paused when he flinched slightly. "Would you have wanted to do the same thing?"

"Probably." He acknowledged before he returned to plucking his guitar strings. "Wouldn't've, though."

Sofi arched a brow. "You mean to tell me if you had a shot to protect any of them, and you could, you wouldn't?"

Jack sat up sharply; the cords made a discordant 'twang'. "That's not what I meant."

"That's what they did, Jack. I mean...I understand why you're angry. They wouldn't exactly let me come along either, you know? But...they did it because they...well, they care. The same goes for Kim. You think she would've put up with whatever you said if she didn't?"

He glared. "How'd you know I said anything?"

Sofi grinned. "I was with her brothers a few times...and the mark she tends to leave on someone's jaw after punching them is fairly easy to spot."

The annoyed look faded to confusion.

"You two." Sofi huffed, shaking her head. "Sometimes I think it'd've been better if you'd just hopped into bed with one another like me and Angel." She muttered in annoyance as she left the room.

Jack gaped at where she had stood; since when was Kim anything more than a friend to him? _"Albeit a friend I don't mind touching...and wanna hang out with..."_ He paused._ "I wonder what she-" _He abruptly silenced that train of thought and resumed playing his guitar.

-x-x-x-x-

"In other words, Jerry, you just don't want me there today."

Sofi winced as she heard half of the argument on the phone.

"Excuses, excuses."

A small sigh escaped her as she wondered if there was a way to smooth things over.

"Piss off!" The slamming of the phone on the receiver signaled the end of that argument.

"Done terrorizing your brother?" She questioned acidly as she entered the kitchen.

"He-"

"Don't even say he deserved it." Sofi snapped. "Angel, Kim, Jerry and even _Bobby_ were only doing what they thought was best for you. They did it because they _care _and you acting like a child is only proving their point!"

"That I can't handle myself?"

"That you're still a child."

"I'm **twenty**."

"Then quit acting like you're two!" The woman snarled. "You've been acting like a sulky, spoiled little boy ever since that day. I get that you wanted to be there; that you wanted to help; that you wanted to watch your brothers' backs. I get it! Don't you think they do?"

"Then why-"

"Because they decided they'd rather deal with you being pissed than your corpse." Sofi returned, then frowned. "Get your coat."

"Why?"

"Because we're going somewhere."

-x-x-x-x-

"...I doubt doughnuts are gonna make up for me being an asshole for a few days..." Jack muttered as they approached a bakery.

"The pastries are not why we're here." Sofi retorted. "She is."

He looked behind the counter, towards the back, where the ovens were. His eyes widened when he realized the flour-coated and grinning girl was Kim. "...wha..."

"This is where she normally is on weekends. Green's got her effectively suspended 'til her injuries heal, so she comes here when she runs out of ways to keep herself occupied."

The muscle in his cheek began to tick as his eyes darkened. "Injuries?"

_"Typical Mercer." _"Yeah. She's a rookie cop, in case you forgot."

He turned to look at her again, mouth tightening. "Why would she wanna do what killed her ma?"

"You're gonna have to ask her that..._after _you order the doughnuts." With that, she disappeared back into the warm safe haven that was the car.

Mentally cursing Sofi, he entered the bakery. At the moment, it was fairly empty; the other customers paid him no mind. He stood awkwardly at the counter, waiting, before he hit the little bell to signal that someone was there.

"Be right up!" Kim's voice called from the back. He watched for her; sure enough, her smile hitched when she spotted him, but she tacked it back on. "What can I get for you?" She asked with a grin, her expression one of polite interest.

"...half a dozen doughnuts." He murmured, then specifically requested each kind.

"Will that be all?" She questioned as she placed them inside a box and handed it to him.

A matronly woman approached from the back and bore down on them, grinning. Jack raised an eyebrow at Kim, who looked about ready to duck under the counter.

"Kim, surely this isn't Jack Mercer."

She deadpanned. "It's not."

"Why-"

Kim motioned to Jack to step aside; after he did, she hopped over the counter, grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the bakery, tossing a "later, Auntie!" over her shoulder.

The woman's laughter followed them out.

"What was that about? ...and why does she know my name?" Jack questioned as both meandered towards the car.

"Uh...it's...a bit of a story..." She mumbled.

Jack looked at the box of doughnuts, which he hadn't paid for, then back at the bakery.

Kim rolled her eyes. "She's my aunt. She constantly tries to send me home with half the fricken' pastry section when we close. I highly doubt she'll mind six doughnuts."

Said aunt poked her head out the door. "Kim, you got forgot your phone!"

"...meet you in the car?" Jack asked tentatively.

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth and looked away. "...you sure you want me around?"

"Would I've asked if I didn't?" He retorted, noting her stiff posture.

"You-"

Jack didn't give her a chance to ask again; he gently grabbed onto her wrist and began to tow her along.

"Jack."

He ignored her.

"Jack."

He gave her a flat look. "I _said_-"

"My phone?"

He let go of her wrist and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, just...meet me in the car."

"...alright." Kim murmured, then ran back to grab her phone. She claimed the seat behind Sofi, who was in the driver's seat, and closed the door as quietly as possible. They were halfway back to the house when Sofi sighed.

"Are you two gonna talk? Or are you gonna ignore each other?"

Jack gave her a flat look; Kim shrugged slightly, her gaze glued to the scenery as it flowed past.

"...I'd talk if I knew what to say." She replied after several more moments of an uncomfortable silence.

"You never had a problem talking to me when we were younger." Jack commented.

She stiffened. "When we were younger, you didn't use your colorful vocabulary to describe me." The silence went from awkward to tense. "...and, for the record, I _am _sorry that I..." She paused. "I'm not sorry that I kept you out of it."

He pointedly stared out his window, giving her a good view of the back of his jacket.

"But I _am _sorry for doin' it by usin' your trust in me."

Blue eyes met hers in the rear view mirror, then skittered away.

Sofi elbowed him gently at the next red light; he stared at her, then began to formulate an apology of his own.

"Déjalo, Sof. Si él quiere pedir perdón, que lo hará cuando él esté listo." (Leave it. If he wants to apologize, he'll do it when he's ready.)

"Ay." She muttered, then shook her head at the younger girl.

"Celito lindo?" The occupant of the back seat returned with a slight smirk.

"You forgot two 'ays'." Sofi corrected with a slight grin.

"Hey, I heard it from you."

The two continued to exchange friendly barbs the rest of the way back to the house; Jack listened to their chatter, wondering when the two had become friends...or whatever they considered themselves.

The three entered the house to find Jerry, Angel and Bobby about ready to lose it.

"Where the fuck were you?" Bobby snarled as soon as he saw Jack.

"He went to get some doughnuts and ended up kidnapping me. Problem?" Kim responded icily.

"Why didn't you answer your cell phone, then?" Jerry questioned, trying to retain some semblance of calm. Jack pointed; it was currently plugged into the wall, charging.

"He didn't plan the outing. I dragged him off because he kept sulking." Sofi explained. "So shut up, Bobby."

Jerry sighed. "Alright, relax, everyone. Jack's fine, and there's doughnuts."

Kim grinned and shook her head as they all grabbed one.

"There's one for you."

She looked up from her examination of some of the photographs to find Jack offering her the box; inside it was a doughnut with chocolate icing. The corner of her mouth quirked, "thanks."

The blonde shrugged it off. "You're the reason we got 'em for free."

"How'd you do that?" Bobby asked through a mouthful of Boston crème.

Jerry stared at Kim for a moment. "I remember for Fat Tuesday, Ma would always have the best faschnauts, but she'd never tell me where she got 'em."

"...that's cuz she didn't get 'em anywhere. I'd come over and we'd bake 'em." Kim admitted softly.

Angel stared. "You know how to make 'em? But you're from Detroit...aren't ya?"

"I am. My auntie and your ma? From Pennsylvania, alright." With that, Kim took a bite of the doughnut.

"That's the reason you don't eat 'em that often, huh?" Sofi asked with a grin; the boys stared.

"Well, yeah." Kim replied, then swallowed. "If I ate doughnuts every time my aunt offered me one, I'd be bigger than a house for one...for another, they wouldn't taste as good as they do when you only eat 'em occasionally."

Sofi laughed at the expression on Bobby's face. "Kim's aunt owns a bakery; she works there sometimes."

"So do you." The younger girl retorted. "S'why you sent Jack in, isn't it? Didn't wanna come in on your day off?"

"Yes and no." Sofi replied, then laughed.

"Alright, y'all. I'd say our lunch break is over...and no, Jack, you still aren't supposed to be in work today." Jerry commented before he herded Angel and Bobby back to the car.

Sofi shook her head, then headed to the laundry room. Jack frowned before he resumed nibbling on his doughnut. Kim finished hers and licked the icing off her fingers. When she looked up, she found Jack staring at her, his own doughnut forgotten.

"Yanno, if you're not hungry, you don't have to eat it." She joked. He placed it back in the box, closed it and gently towed her upstairs to his room.

"What's up?" The girl questioned as both sat on his bed; he pulled her closer to him until she was almost on his lap again. She froze when he rested his head on hers; the position was nearly identical to the one from a few nights ago.

"I'm sorry." He murmured into her hair. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I guess I just figured if I pissed you off enough, you'd let me go..."

"You could've just incapacitated me."

It was his turn to freeze.

"It was a joke." She quickly clarified as she hesitantly looped her arms around his torso; he leaned back against his pillows, tension draining from his form. The two ended up chatting quietly until they reached an understanding; both were still bothered by what happened but for now, they were just going to let it go.

-x-x-x-x-

Kim awoke to the sound of her phone vibrating. Groaning mentally, she flipped it open to find that she had 82 missed calls and about 40 texts. Swearing softly, she quickly and carefully extracted herself from Jack's hold before she darted quietly down the stairs.

"What?" She hissed into the phone when it began to ring again.

"Where _are _you?" Came her brothers' voices in unison.

"I'm fine, I'm safe and unless I have work today, I don't want to hear it. I'm twenty-two and I'm perfectly capable of spending the night wherever I choose." She quickly pulled the phone away from her ear so she wasn't deafened by their indignant squawks. "If you have an issue, talk to Auntie." With that, she hung up. Grumbling to herself, she headed back upstairs and crawled back into bed next to Jack.

-x-x-x-x-

The next time she woke up, there was sunlight streaming in through the windows; she also found that she was-rather literally-tangled up with Jack again.

"Mornin'." She murmured as he stirred, then opened his eyes.

"Time?" He asked blearily, covering his eyes from the harsh sunlight.

Kim pulled out her phone and ignored the higher call/text count. "...eight-ish."

He sighed, then began to try to untangle the two of them. She assisted, and couldn't contain her giggles when both of them ended up on the floor, still wrapped around one another. He raised his eyebrows at her, but both knew the corners of his lips were tilted up.

"Breakfast?" He asked once both had been freed from the sheet and the other's limbs.

"...sure." Kim rose, then offered him a hand up; he took it and both headed downstairs.

"Mornin'." Jack greeted Angel, Sofi and Bobby as he and Kim entered the dining room with bowls and cereal.

"Yanno, if all it took was gettin' you laid to cheer you up..." Bobby trailed off, smirking.

Jack glowered. "Stuff it."

"...no wonder you're still single." Kim muttered before taking a bite of her cereal.

"So you don't mind that the guy you're fucking is gay?"

"I'm not gay." Jack snarled. "And we're not fucking."

"What, you're 'making love' or some other pretentious bullshit?" The eldest Mercer prodded.

"...while I will admit to utter shock upon the discovery of your knowledge of the word 'pretentious', the answer is no. We slept together in the literal-not figurative-sense." Kim returned in a bland tone.

The three boys stared at Kim while Sofi cracked up.

Kim smirked. "My mom was serious about talkin' properly. I just generally can't be bothered to, is all."

Sofi laughed. "You mean, you can't be bothered 'less you're around that bio uncle of yours."

"Nah." She returned with a yawn. "He doesn't care one way or the other, s'long as I don't curse in front of my niece." She smothered another yawn. "Also. I'm gonna apologize now, as I dunno how long it'll taken 'em to figure out where I am...but once they do, my bros'll be here. So, sorry."

"Why d'you need to apologize for that?" Jack questioned as she took her now-empty cereal bowl to the kitchen and cleaned it.

She sighed. "Because they're gonna assume what Bobby did an' they're gonna go into over-protective older brother mode...an' then I'm gonna have to kick their asses."

A car door slammed out front.

"Speak of the devil." Kim grumbled and snuck around behind the front door.

Two Asian men, approximately the same age as Angel, burst through it. "Where's our sister, you-"

The one closest to the door hit the ground; his brother followed suit about a moment later.

"Dumbshits." Kim seethed as she stood over them. "I **told **you over the damn phone-I'm fine, safe and perfectly fucking capable of staying wherever I want."

"Kim."

The woman turned with exaggerated patience. "Yes, Sofi?"

Sofi struggled to hide her amused grin. "Shoulder."

"Fuck. My. Life." The younger girl growled. "And you two-out!"

"But..."

"I'm still a virgin, now get the fuck out!"

"Alright, alright." Both grumbled before rising. "But if he so much as _thinks _about-"

"OUT."

Both scuttled out, grumbling in Japanese.

"Yeah, yeah, fuck you two too." Kim shot after them, then slammed the door.

Bobby and Angel were cackling at the table; Sofi reappeared next to Kim with a needle, thread and scissors; Jack pointed at the sofa.

"Can it, hyenas." She grumbled as she sat and pulled her shirt off.

"Ooooh, breakfast and a-"

"You better not be looking, Angel!" Sofi interrupted sourly; Angel wisely chose to escape to the kitchen to do his dishes. Bobby snickered, then grumbled when he realized Kim had a camisole on.

"I'm guessing this is one of the 'injuries' Sofi mentioned?" Jack questioned in a voice that was supposed to be calm as he surveyed the stitches currently ripped and oozing blood.

"Sprained ankle's already healed." Kim supplied helpfully and hid a wince when Jack began to remove the stitches that had ripped.

"How'd you get that?"

All three looked up, startled, to find Bobby staring at Kim's shoulder.

"...chasin' a suspect. It's only a graze, anyway..."

Jack zoned out on the rest of the explanation; a cold, sinking sensation had settled around his navel at the word "graze". Without another word, he resumed removing the ripped stitches; he then deftly replaced them.

"Thanks." Kim gave him a small grin as she smoothed an antibiotic cream along the line of stitches, then began to re-wrap it; he took the bandages from her and did it himself.

"Will you two just fuck already?"

"BOBBY!" Sofi smacked him. "You just ruined their moment, honestly!"

"Moment? There's no 'moment'. You fuck, you move along. There's-"

"There IS such a thing as love-why else would Jerry be with Camille? Why would I be with Angel?"

"As Jack said, you're addicted to what Angel's dick did...that's lust, La Vida Loca, not love."

Sofi glowered. "And Camille?"

Bobby shrugged. "He knocked her up. Prolly didn't want his kids to end up in the system, is all."

"And what about Evelyn?"

"YOU-"

"You'll admit Miss E loved you guys, but you won't admit that Jerry loves Camille and vice versa...same goes for Angel and Sofi. Why can't there be love _and _sex between a woman and a man?" Kim inquired.

"Maybe in your happy little delusionland, there can be." Bobby responded flatly.

"I will not psychoanalyze him, I will not psychoanalyze him, I will **not **psychoanalyze him..." Kim chanted softly as she cleaned up the supplies.

Sofi's lips twitched. "Girl, you're wasted as a cop."

"Good thing I quit then, huh?" Noting the shocked looks, she chuckled. "It was a long time in coming, actually. I told myself after my prior injury-" She glanced significantly at Sofi, "-that the next time I got hurt, I was out."

"What're you gonna do, then?" Angel questioned as she slipped her shirt back on.

"Split my time between my uncle's body shop an' the cop car garage as a mechanic and my aunt's bakery as a baker. ...and if I get bored, I'll find a fourth job." She grumbled, noting Sofi's shocked look.

"You...the crazy adrenaline junkie...are giving up chasing people down and getting shot at?"

"Yeah. I am. I'd like to be in one piece by the time I hit your age, let alone Bobby's." The younger girl grumbled. "I considered being a private investigator, but figured that was just being a cop without a partner to watch my back. ...add in the fact that Green keeps mother-henning me, an' you got why I'm done."

"Green?" Jack questioned.

"Verde con envidia, chica." Sofi muttered, then laughed when Kim stuck her tongue out. (Green with envy, girl)

"Green's like a really annoying father figure...actually, he an' my uncle are tied. Anyway..."

"You wanna hang around?" Jack asked as they finished placing the first aid supplies back where they were stored.

"Yeah...just lemme run back to my house and get a change of clothes."

Sofi grinned. "There'll be rumors."

"What?" Bobby snapped as Angel laughed.

"The neighborhood's had me in bed with Jack for years. I don't see why this'll shock 'em now." Kim called as she went out the front door.

Sofi and Angel both cracked up at the "the fuck?" look on Jack's face.

-x-x-x-x-

"Spazzin' for any particular reason?" Kim questioned as she noted that Jack was in the exact same spot as he had been in when she left.

"I'm..."

"You are...?"

"I'm not." Jack clarified.

"If you say so." She grinned and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze before chasing Sofi, who had thrown a dishcloth at her.

-x-x-x-x-

The days fell into a comfortable pattern after that. Everyone would meet up for breakfast, leave for work, come back in the evening to eat dinner together and then hang out. There were more than a few hockey games; Sofi and Kim tagged along as cheerleaders.

"So, where are your kids?" Sofi questioned as they froze on the side of the ice rink.

"They're keeping their cousin company, as is tradition." Kim replied with a soft snicker.

"...your family is just..."

"Insane? You don't know the half of it...at this point'n time, I'm just glad my bros haven't found out about these hockey games..."

The older girl laughed. "Why, 'cuz then you'd have to save Jack?"

"Kinda, yeah." She mumbled, rubbing her neck.

"Hey, Kim!"

"Shitshitshitshit." She dove behind Sofi.

"What?"

"My ex, Derrick..." The one currently hiding mumbled. "He won't get the hint."

"Well, at least it'll be another chance for you to watch Jack turn green with envy." Sofi supplied.

"He doesn't see me like that." Kim muttered. "But he does and I don't want him."

"Woe is you?" The taller of the two rolled her eyes.

"No...I just wish he'd take the hint."

"Well, hiding behind me won't get the point across."

"...point taken." Kim agreed before standing up to her full height and cracking her knuckles.

"You aren't."

"I might." She replied as the man finally reached them.

"You haven't been returning my calls, Kimmie. You make a guy feel like he's unwanted, yanno." The man stated in what was meant to be a pouty tone.

"...my name is Kim, not Kimmie, for one. For another? I haven't been returning your calls because we're over. We've **been **over."

"You keep saying that, but you know-"

"Problem?" Bobby questioned, leaning over the side of the rink with an almost predatory look in his eyes.

The game was effectively paused when Jerry, Angel and Jack skated over to see what had managed to call Bobby's attention from hockey.

"No problem, Mercer." Derrick snapped. "If I wanna talk to my girl-"

"EX." Kim snapped, pushed beyond the end of patience. "We broke up a year ago, get the fuck over it."

"I didn't say-"

"I did. And that should be enough."

"You heard the lady." Bobby jeered. "Fuck off."

Derrick stared, then looked over at Kim. "If that's-"

"Yes, this is what I really want." Kim replied in a tone most would have called calm.

He left, glancing behind him frequently, as though he expected her to call him back.

"You were a good two seconds from breaking his nose, weren't you?"

Kim let out a long sigh. "The minute these stitches come out, I have a date with my punching bag, which will most definitely feature a picture of his face on it."

"Ouch." Sofi chuckled. "At least he was sober this time?"

Bobby, Jerry, Jack and Angel stared at the two.

"Uh...we're gonna walk back. Let's go!" Kim hurriedly grabbed Sofi's arm and dragged her off.

"Looks like you fall under the heading of 'family' now, like it or not." Sofi teased.

"It also means I'll get interrogated by all four of 'em now..."

"Hey, it's their way of showing they care."

The younger girl deadpanned. "You are way too used to explaining them."

"You grew up with them too; I shouldn't have to."

"True."

-x-x-x-x-

All of them were seated on the couches, save Jerry, who had returned home to Camille; Angel and Sofi had claimed one; Kim, Jack and Bobby ended up on the other. The five had been watching a hockey game, although Sofi kept muttering things at Kim in Spanish.

"Sofi, por favor...no ahora." Kim finally mumbled.

"Pero, le gustas tú."

The younger girl sighed. "No sé."

"Es la verdad!"

"No, no es la verdad y no sé!"

"...what did you two just say?" Angel eventually questioned.

"I don't know; it's the truth; no it's not the truth and I don't know." Kim rattled off.

"What was with that guy earlier?" Bobby interrupted.

"I dated him for a few months...it didn't feel right, he started to creep me out...so I called it off. I've done everything except tell him _where _to go fuck himself and he hasn't taken the hint." She supplied reluctantly.

"What did he do?"

The other four stared, as that question had come from Jack.

"Te lo dije." Sofi sang. (Told you so)

Kim swatted her with a pillow. "Silencio, por favor, inmediatamente!" (Silence, please, immediately)

"Él te quiere, él te quiere, él te quiere." Sofi sang, then ran upstairs as Kim chased her. (He wants you)

"Will you shut up!" Kim yelped as she charged up the stairs after her.

"Never!"

Their impromptu chase came to an end when Sofi accidentally tripped onto Jack; this led to her essentially hiding behind Angel when Kim's almost-teasing glare turned murderous.

"You know-" She began helpfully.

"Shut it." Kim snapped as she helped Jack up.

"Well?"

"He got too controlling, alright?" She huffed. "He had to know where I was, what I was doing and who I was with at all times, or else he'd come and find me."

"Why not tell your brothers?" Angel asked before he took a gulp of beer. "They're not Bobby, but they're intimidating enough in their own right..."

"'Cuz I prefer to fight my own battles thanks." Kim muttered as she resumed her seat.

"So you have a stalker?" Bobby established.

"Had. The next time he bothers me, I'm just gonna break his nose. I'm done being nice." She grumbled. "Now can we please interrogate someone else or pick a different topic?"

"What's it like being Green's coffee-girl?"

Jack obligingly ducked so Kim could swat Bobby with a pillow.

"I wasn't his 'coffee-girl'. I was a trainee—there's a difference. Interns…now _they're _the coffee-people. But, on the whole…working with Green was fun. I mean, he kinda babied me a bit, 'cuz he knew my mom…and he tends to freak out at me whenever I rip my stitches…but other'n that, no real complaints."

"Seriously?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, seriously. The one I had the problems with was Fowler."

Bobby's voice was suspiciously casual. "Whatever happened to him, anyway?"

"He's currently occupying a slab in the morgue." Kim returned just as casually. "When Green took his badge, he tried to shoot him…" She trailed off.

"What?" Jack questioned.

"Long story short, he's dead, Green's alive; justice served." She returned before disappearing into her cup of cocoa.

"Hacias buena, chica." Sofi murmured, then headed to the kitchen for more milk.

"Gracias." Kim returned just as softly when Sofi came back.

"De nada."

"Will you two speak English?" Jack interrupted.

"Do I need to say it?" Sofi questioned as she placed her milk down.

"Nope. Vamos!" Kim replied as she put her drink down; the two resumed their previously interrupted chase.

"What're you two, Ben and Jerry?" Bobby grumbled.

"They're not ice cream makers…you want Tom and Jerry, man." Angel supplied helpfully.

"Fuck cartoons." The eldest Mercer growled before returning his attention to the t.v.

"What are you two hiding?" Jack called after them.

"Nothing." Sofi grinned as she darted past him. "_She's _the one hiding something!"

"Shut it, for the love of god." Kim growled as she cut off Sofi's escape by boxing her in between Jack and herself.

"Nope. You-"

"I. Do. NOT." The younger girl snapped.

"Break it up, ladies, you're drowning out the hockey." Bobby snapped.

"Dile!" Sofi commanded.

"There's nothing to tell."

"Tú lo ama!" (You love him.)

"Wh...wh..." The dumbfounded look on Kim's face caused Sofi to throw her hands up in exasperation.

"Imposible." Sofi muttered as she stormed back to her seat. "Ustedes son imposible."

"I don't..." Kim mumbled, still shocked. "I really...really..."

"Cree!" (Think)

Wordlessly, the younger girl returned to her spot, looking as though someone had just told her that the world miiiight end in ten minutes. Jack took his seat, watching her warily; Angel and Bobby decided that hockey was more interesting.

Half an hour later, Kim slammed her head down on the armrest. "Fuck, you're right."

Sofi smirked. "And?"

"And what?"

"Well, what're you gonna _do_, now that you _know_?"

"...nothing." Kim muttered.

Sofi groaned. "Hopeless, you're hopeless."

"Considering this is a case of the blind leading the blind, I'm gonna agree." The younger girl retorted, then glanced at the clock. "Oh shiiiiiit." She hurriedly leapt to her feet and threw on her coat while searching frantically for her keys.

"What?" Jack questioned as the other three looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"I am so fucking laaaate." Kim moaned as she finally found her keys. "I'll be back late, catcha later!" She called, halfway out the front door; her phone began to ring. "Fucking crazy Russiansssss." They heard her hiss as she closed it behind her.

"Ah, poker night." Sofi surmised; the three men stared. "What? I've gone with sometimes. Those Russian boys are fine."

Bobby scowled. "Are we gonna be taking on the mob?"

"…no. But that girl really oughta do something with that redhead. He's flexible, muscled and…mm." Sofi murmured appreciatively before heading to the kitchen for another drink. Angel and Bobby fought the urge to roll their eyes at their youngest brother, who looked like someone had dumped tabasco sauce in his beer.

-x-x-x-x-

"Night." Sofi called as she dragged Angel upstairs. Bobby made a face at her; Jack gave them a weak wave.

"How long you think you're gonna stick around?" Bobby asked after he finished his third beer.

Jack stared at the dining room table. "Not sure."

"I'm thinkin' of stickin' around for a while this time." The eldest Mercer acknowledged, then smirked at his brother's widened eyes. "From the way things are goin', Angel and La Vida Loca'll have kids soon…and I wanna get to know Daniela and Amelia." His smirk widened. "Looks like you'll be settlin' down soon too." The incredulous look on Jack's face only made Bobby snicker.

"I'm _twenty_."

"Ma got married when she was seventeen." His brother returned; the teasing atmosphere vanished. The tense silence remained until Bobby broke it with, "night, lil' bro."

Jack watched Bobby head upstairs, then shook his head. He wasn't planning on sticking around too long; if he did, the Spares would replace him. At the same time, he couldn't see himself leaving; all his brothers were home and even if his Ma…it was nice to see them all, spend time with them all. He dropped his head in his hands, sighing. He would've killed for all of them to be home before he left; then he would've stayed. Now, the Spares were doing well…and if he went back, he still had a shot.

-x-x-x-x-

Kim unlocked the door as quietly as possible; Cece and Cleo still sat at the top of the stairs, patiently waiting for her. "What are you two, my parents?" She grumbled; she swore their looks were disapproving. "Ugh…too late for this, c'mon." The two followed her to her room and hopped up on the bed with her once she got settled. "Night, you prissy lil' things." She grumbled, but grinned slightly when they snuggled closer.

-x-x-x-x-

The next morning dawned bright and miserable, as Kim had slept restlessly, which resulted in no less than seven scratches from an irritated Cleo. "C'mon, ya little pissants…" She grumbled as she hurriedly swapped clothes, then laced and tied her boots. The two allowed themselves to be caught and carried down the stairs.

"Rough night?" Claire inquired.

"Feh." Kim mumbled, nodding her head in agreement.

"Go find your man; he'll kiss you and make it all better." The older woman advised, then laughed at Kim's incredulous look. "I'm middle-aged, not dead. And if you ever need to talk…"

"Trust me, you're on speed dial." The younger woman replied, then waved before disappearing out the front door.

Claire shook her head. "The sooner those two get together, the better."

-x-x-x-x-

"Mornin'." She greeted Sofi as she entered with doughnuts and pets in tow.

"Awww, the kiddies are here." She cooed and promptly took them from her. Kim shook her head before placing the box of doughnuts on the table, then riffling around the kitchen for plates and napkins. She placed them on the table beside the box as Angel wandered downstairs.

"Did I hear something about kids?" He questioned; Kim pointed at Sofi, who was playing with Cece and Cleo.

"…that's…"

The brunette grinned. "My 'kids'."

Angel shrugged before heading for the doughnuts; he then plopped himself beside Sofi, where he found that both puppy and kitten were not above begging for food.

The women laughed at him as he made faces at the two attentive animals. Thumps from above signaled that Bobby was awake; said sour-tempered man appeared moments later. Kim pointed to the table and he ignored the three, as well as the pets, in favor of breakfast.

Not much later than that, Jack stumbled downstairs. Kim approached, concerned by his pallor, and tried to check his temperature; he swatted her hand away. Angel winced and Bobby pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Jack?"

His eyes widened as he realized just who it was he hit. "I'm goin' back to bed." He muttered and retreated upstairs. Kim scowled before following; when she encountered his door, locked, she rolled her eyes and picked it. As the door swung open to reveal an annoyed Jack lying on his bed, she smirked.

"You shouldn't've taught me how to pick locks if you didn't want to me to be able to." She informed him and closed the door behind her. He glared before covering his face with the pillow; she sighed softly and sat on his bed with him; her butt rested between him and the wall, with the backs of her thighs resting on top of his.

Jack eventually moved the pillow, but wouldn't look at her. After a few minutes, she found herself starting to drift off so she pinched her arm.

"You still a virgin?"

Kim choked on her spit, gaped at him and turned red before glaring. "If you must know, yes. Poker night got out of hand, as there were a lot of shots downed well before the games even started. It was late enough when I left that I didn't feel comfortable driving all the way back here, so I stayed with my aunt and uncle. Might as well've slept in my car for all the good that did me…"

He relaxed and closed his eyes. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Hitting you."

She sighed softly. "It's fine."

"I waited up for you." He admitted softly after several moments of silence. "Then I couldn't sleep."

"I'm sorry." She murmured, taking his hand and squeezing it. "If I'd've known, I would've left earlier and come back."

"Sofi mentioned you had a thing for the redhead." The blonde mumbled, as though to justify his question.

Kim laughed. "Do I look like I have a death wish? His boyfriend'd kill me."

The muscle in his cheek jumped. "…oh…"

"Oh, indeed." She returned with grin.

"Kick your shoes off and c'mere." He grumbled. Her grin widened and she did just that, resting her head above his heart and looping her arms around him. He slipped his arms around her and pulled her closer before covering both of them with the blanket. Recalling that was where she had rested her head almost every other time they curled up together, he cracked an eye open. "You got a thing for my heartbeat?"

"'S soothing." Kim murmured before cuddling closer. Jack felt his lips curve upwards before he shifted a bit of her hair that was tickling him and drifted off.

-x-x-x-x-

Jack woke before she did and he found himself threading his fingers through her hair. He knew he wanted her—wanted her naked, wanted her moaning his name as he touched her in ways no other man had ever gotten to—but he also wanted this. The cuddling and the friendship and the intimacy. It had been a while since he had tried to have anything other than a one-night stand; his prior relationships had been the nearly-required fucked up ones that happened in high school with copious amounts of breaking up and then getting back together for fantastic make up sex.

That being said, he knew that she had had none of that in high school and her only previous relationship that he knew of was with that fucker from the ice rink. He also wasn't sure _she_ wanted him; she could very easily just view him as a close and trusted friend…or like a brother. Something he was fairly certain of was that she wouldn't do casual sex; it was a relationship or nothing.

The final problem was that he wasn't sure if he would stay. He enjoyed spending time with his brothers and being home but…the construction thing was not his calling. He missed the stage, the cheering, the high that came with performing and he wasn't quite ready to give that up.

"You okay?"

He looked down to find that his ministrations had woken her. "'M fine."

She sighed contentedly as he continued to play with her hair. "Keep doing that and I'll fall back asleep."

Jack didn't pause to think before he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. When she froze, he hesitated for a moment. She began to respond right before he was about to pull back.

It was at that moment that Bobby decided to kick the door open. "Will you two quit fuckin' around and get downstairs?"

Kim instantly pulled away, red and eying the wall; Jack gave Bobby a look that would've killed a lesser man.

"Downstairs, now." Bobby snapped before leaving.

Jack glowered after him before glancing at Kim; she was red and wouldn't meet his eyes. Both untangled themselves and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Um…what was that?"

"A kiss." He responded flatly, though he knew what the real question was.

"Alright, fine." She growled. "_Why_?"

"It was just a kiss." Jack grumbled.

"I'm not so naïve as to think you didn't have sex while you were in New York." Kim murmured. "But I am not one of your groupies. And if you aren't looking for a relationship, I'd appreciate it if you didn't touch me again." With that, she rose and headed downstairs.

He ran a hand through his hair. _"Fuck."_

-x-x-x-x-

Sofi grinned at Kim as she motioned to one of the two open seats next to each other.

Kim scowled but took the seat.

"Was it that bad?" The elder girl mumbled as she passed Kim a sandwich.

"He kissed me." She hissed back.

"That's all?"

"Fairy, get down here or your food goes to the animals!" Bobby yelled.

"We don't have any." Jack retorted as he came down the stairs; Bobby pointed to Kim's pets, who were currently in the chair left for him. He scowled down at them, then tried to shoo them; Cleo swiped at him and left bloody scratches down his index finger.

"…_my cat is so evil…"_ Kim thought with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "C'mere, you two, before he turns you into mincemeat." She calmly scooped them up and placed them on her lap, where they curled up and went to sleep.

Jack glowered at the kitten as he sucked on his finger.

"Fairy." Bobby muttered before he took a bite of his sandwich.

-x-x-x-x-

Kim and Sofi did the dishes as Bobby and Angel bickered in the living room; Jack remained at the table and glowered at the kitten that was now in Kim's vacated seat. Cleo opened an eye and yawned.

"If we go on a date, that _thing_ isn't coming with." Jack grumbled as Kim headed towards the living room. Sofi, who was placing the last dish in the cabinet, almost dropped it; Bobby and Angel stopped bickering.

"Was that an ultimatum or a question?" Kim inquired.

Jack forced himself to sound casual. "Depends. What's your answer?"

"Well, I do have next weekend free…" She returned, affecting the same manner.

"It's a date then." He surmised.

"I'd prefer you pick a specific day." She teased. "But, yeah. It's a date."

"About time." Sofi muttered.

-x-x-x-x-

Part one of my first foray into the Four Brothers fandom is completed.

Tune in next time to find out if Jack and Kim have a snowball's chance in hell, how Kim's family reacts, if Angel and Sofi get some much-deserved love…and if Bobby gets his. Gets his what? You'll just have to wait and see :D

Also. Constructive criticism is appreciated...flames are not. If you dislike this, tell me **why**.  
>Seeya next time.<br>Emma


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